The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute PETAL Clinical Trials Network published a large randomized controlled trial comparing NMBs(neuromuscular blocker) to placebo in patients with moderate to severe adult respiratory distress syndrome(PEEP of at least >8 with ratio of the partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen of <150 mm Hg). …

Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) or Acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (ABSSSIs) encompass a variety of pathological conditions that involve the skin and underlying subcutaneous tissue, fascia, or muscle, ranging from simple superficial infections to severe necrotizing infections. Two terms are used interchangeably in literature but according to FDA, ABSSSIs include cellulitis/erysipelas, wound infection, …

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of death worldwide, with a significant impact on morbidity rates. Increasing antibiotic resistance amongst the common bacterial pathogens associated with CAP, especially staphylococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae, has made the empiric treatment of this infection increasingly problematic. Approximately 6% of CAP are caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. During recent decades, …

Fang Fang, Yu Zhang, Jingjing Tang et el published a meta-analysis of use of corticosteroids in septic shock in Dec, 2018 in JAMA internal medicine. This ignites the age old debate of use of steroids in septic shock. You may recall that B. Venkatesh, S. Finfer, J. Cohen, D. Rajbhandari et el published adrenal trial which showed that …

Kristine A. Sobolewski , Alison Brophy , Yekaterina Opsha et el published a retrospective cohort study comparing abrupt withdrawal versus taper of hydrocortisone in resolving septic shock patients. BACKGROUND Severe sepsis and septic shock remains one of the most common diagnosis as well as cause of death in intensive care units around the world. Hydrocortisone has been shown to quicker …

In May, 2018, FDA approved Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (ZS-9) for treatment of hyperkalemia. This is available as Lokelma in USA, manufactured by AstraZeneca. This is the third drug in the category of Gastrointestinal cation exchangers for treatment of hyperkalemia. Earlier two drugs are sodium polystyrene sulfonate(Kayexalate, approved in 1958) and patiromer(Approved in 2015). Its efficacy …